Lawrence Conneff/Bluffton Today USCB's Taylor Triplett connects on a single in the first inning Tuesday.

Lawrence Conneff/Bluffton Today USCB is one of 10 host sites for the NAIA Opening Round.

C.J. Browder just couldn’t wait any longer.

The Sun Conference softball player of the year stood on first base, the University of South Carolina Beaufort trailing by two runs, and watched two teammates fail to bunt her over to second.

Browder took off and stole second herself. A few moments later, she swiped third when Spring Hill (Ala.) pitcher Carolina Sagrera turned her back after an unsuccessful rundown. When Sagrera’s throw got past the third baseman, Browder scored to complete a wild sequence.

The play sparked a 6-4 comeback victory Tuesday that put USCB one win away from the NAIA World Series.

“I was telling myself we needed to make something happen,” Browder said, “so I made it happen.”

The top-seeded Sand Sharks will host the NAIA Opening Round finals at noon today, looking for their first bid to the World Series in Columbus, Ga.

No. 2 seed Spring Hill (42-15) was scheduled to play an elimination game after press time Tuesday evening against Virginia Intermont or Cumberland (Tenn.). The winner must beat USCB (43-4) twice to advance to Columbus.

“It’s a huge weight off our backs,” Browder said of USCB’s position in the bracket. “We wanted to be in control and we are now.”

Spring Hill led the Sand Sharks 4-2 when Browder reached on an error to lead off the third inning. Mariha Partman and Sam Leach hit solo home runs off USCB freshman starter Ashlie Layman, who lasted 2 2/3 innings.

Browder ignited the offense with a long, game-tying homer to lead off the fifth. After Shelby Zipperer doubled, Mariaha Sandborn gave USCB the lead with a two-run shot to right-center field.

The Sand Sharks went for six runs on seven hits against Sagrera, who led the NAIA in wins and strikeouts at the start of the tournament. Sagrera struck out seven.

“I go at it the exact same way,” Cook, normally a starter, said of making relief appearances. “If there are runners on base, I’ve just got to make sure they stay where they are.”

Cook, who went five innings Monday to beat Cumberland in the Sand Sharks’ tournament opener, improved to 22-0. USCB coach Ty Rietkovich said his plan entering the week was to start Cook in the finals and he doesn’t expect that to change today.

“It’s hard to say where this program would be without Kristy Cook,” Rietkovich said. “… If she’s not an All-American, then I don’t know what one is.”

Partman homered in the top of the first, but USCB quickly took a 2-1 lead when Maddie Byrd singled in Taylor Triplett and Browder scored on an error.

Leach tied it with her home run in the second and the Badgers scored two runs on three hits and an error in the third to lead 4-2.

Browder went 2 for 4, reaching on a pair of errors, and scored three runs. Rietkovich said Browder is one of several players who always have the option to steal and she took advantage to start USCB’s comeback.

“The things that C.J. sees and feels, you can’t plan for it,” Rietkovich said. “Certain players have what we call the green light to do those things, and that’s because of their instincts.”

USC Beaufort 6, Spring Hill 4

SH 112 000 0 — 4 7 4

SC 201 030 X — 6 7 1

IF YOU GO

What: NAIA Opening Round finals

When: Noon today

Where: Richard Gray Sports Complex

ON THE WEB

Check blufftontoday.com after today’s game for results

ON TWITTER

Follow sports editor Lawrence Conneff during the game for updates on Twitter @BlufftonSports